2003 Dodge Stratus problems
The 2003 Dodge Stratus has 110 complaints on file with NHTSA. The largest share (16%) concerns suspension. Next are air bags (14%) and electrical system (9%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 110 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Suspension 16% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 8 and 0
- Injuries and deaths
- 7 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 59,000 miles 81 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 10 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 21 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 10 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 7 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 12 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 6 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 4 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 3 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 3 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 5 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 81 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 59,000 miles. For suspension specifically, the median reported mileage is about 100,000 miles (14 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 8 complaints mention a crash; 7 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2003 ranks 10th most-complained-about out of 12 model years of the Dodge Stratus with enough data (72 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 2 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Tl* the contact owned a 2003 dodge stratus. The contact stated that while driving at 35 MPH, another vehicle lost control and crashed head on into the contact's vehicle. The air bags deployed shattering the contact's sternum, which required medical attention. The driver and passenger of the other vehicle sustained lacerations to the face and a fractured leg which needed medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure.
Car was involved in a frontal collision and the airbags didn't deploy causing person to hit head and have to have emergency treatment at the hospital. The whole bumper was crushed in along with the radiator being shoved into the engine. According to emt/police, the airbags should have deployed.
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 dodge stratus. The vehicle veered off the road and rolled over. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained multiple injuries. As a result of the injuries she did not have full recollection of the incident and could not provide any details of the accident or the damage to the vehicle. A police was report was filed. The failure mileage was 63,000 and the current mileage was unavailable.
Dt*: the contact stated while attempting to put the vehicle into gear the transmission would not engage. The gear shifter would maneuver into drive and reverse but the transmission would never engage. The vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop for inspection. It was determined the transmission failed with 5 transmission codes. On several occasion prior to the transmission failure during regularly schedule maintenance there was diagnostic testing performed however the test showed no transmission codes.
Tl* the contact owns a 2003 dodge stratus. The contact stated that the dashboard of the vehicle protruded and separated causing the air bag to be exposed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 144,300.